Monday, December 16, 2019

Let the skies pour down righteousness


Today’s Advent piece originated with plainsong back in the mists of Christianity, so: Latin. The opening lines of “Rorate Caeli” translate to “Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just. Let the earth be opened and send forth a Saviour.”

The chant featured in regular Advent services devoted to Mary, known as the Rorate Mass. I don’t recall ever having attended one (they were weekday/Saturday masses, and kinda got sidelined during the Second Vatican Council), but I would like to. They used to be held in the early morning, which seems to me to be a good way to start out a workday during Advent.

In the Anglican tradition, the opening lines translate to “Drop down, ye heavens from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness.” I believe we could use some of that these days.

Anyway, seems appropriate to have a version sung by MaƮtrise Notre Dame de Paris, which is a music school in Paris. Notre Dame meaning Our Lady.


If you’d like something closer to the original, here’s one (cannot tell who the group is):




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